March 2021- One Year of Lockdown

2020 was the year that digital graphic recording really came into its own. As we all started to adapt to a life of separation and constant Zoom meetings, online live illustration suddenly became mainstream. I began graphic recording in 2010 and I would never have imagined this scenario then. The tools have emerged at just the right time- iPad pro and Apple pencil, apps like Procreate, Concepts, Affinity and of course online meeting tools like Zoom and Teams (Skype became subsumed into Microsoft I think). In Ireland graphic recording and visual facilitation had just about become popular outside of its initial limited pockets (non-profits using collaborative facilitation and multinationals used to seeing it in Europe). As a freelance graphic recorder I was increasingly busy. I was also moving into the delivery of trainings for organisations who were seeking better ways to engage stakeholders.
Now, all of this is online. I have to be honest and admit that online facilitation for me at first was hugely stressful. I'm only just getting the hang of it now. It brings new constraints and new possibilities.
In 2020 I began to learn more digital animation and have completed a few animated videos for clients which I will share in the next post. I have also learned more about systems change and facilitation generally. I have been able to share this learning through my work with Creativity & Change.
I have been fortunate to find a tribe of visual practitioners in Ireland with whom I have set up a loose network. As the demand for graphic recording has increased, and as the digital transition means location is no longer a factor we have finally been able to collaborate on events. The idea of 4 graphic recorders being hired to work on 1 event was to my mind unthinkable 3 years ago.